Portable pool



J. P. HOOPER PORTABLE POOL Jan. 7, 1930,.

Filed June 11. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 II I Jan. 7,. 1930. J, HOOPER 1,742,313

PORTABLE POOL Filed June 11, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 7, 1930 unrrsn STATES PATENT wris JAMES r. noornae, or noxroianna ztnnn, nssrenon TO n-noorna a some COMPANY, or snt'riiroaa'ivmnrnnnn, A coaronarron or MARYLAND PORTABLE r.,o0,L

Application, filed June 11,

children for wading and the like. Its preferred use is as an outdoor pool whiohmay be set up on the lawn or on a hard surface, as a pavement or floor.

The pool is of the knock-down type, being so constructed that when assembled the frame is sufliciently rigid so that it requires no guy ropes or projecting supports. Such external supports are not only regarded as unsightly, but they are objectionable as inconvenient and dangerous in that it is almost impossible to avoid trippingover them. Further, the space occupied by pools having such supports is large and out of all proportion to the area of the pool.

The pool structure embodying the features of the invention in the preferred formis illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the pool.

Figure 2 is a side elevation, both said figures being broken away intermediately for convenience of illustration.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3+3 of Figure 2 showing one of the uprights or supports in horizontal section, the section including the surrounding portion of the fabric.

Figure 4 is an elevation of one of the tubular upright supports, the fabric being removed.

Figure 5 is a detail view showing the ends of two sections of the top rail as they meet at the corners, the same being slightly separated and turned into the plane of the figure.

Figure 6 is a top plan view of a modified form of pool adapted to be set up on a floor or pavement.

Figure 7 is a section on the line 77 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is an elevation on an enlarged scale showing one of the uprights with the underlying tie plate and the surrounding portion of the canvas, as in the form of invention shown in Figures 6 and 7.

Referring to the drawings numerals, each of which used to indicate the same 1928. Serial No. 234, 7.

or similar parts in the different figures, the apparatus, as shown, comprises a flexible fabric container 1 and a hock-down frame 2 for holding the same inf distended position with the walls upright. The fabric container 1 is preferably formed in a single piece or so formed that it may be made from a single piece of canvas without seams. The manner of holding the canvas at the corners in accordance with the preferred em bodiment is bestillustrated in Figures 1 and 7, it being understood that so far as relates to the fabric container the two forms are identical.

"In the construction of the fabric container,

the four side walls 3 being turned 11, vertically from the body of the materia which is resting fiat on a table or other support, the three-cornered double piece of material at each corner, indicated by reference character 4:, is folded flat against the adjacent end or side and a margino at the top edge is folded over, preferably inside of the container, and sewedto form a top hem or tubular portion 6, which tubular portion is formed three thicknesses at 7 adjacent each corner due to the presence of the corner fold 4 already referred to. This corner fold may also be stitched diagonally at 8, as best shown in Figure'Z. I i he tubular portion 6 at the top of the container, in the form of the invention shown, is preferably cut away at the corners and may be hemmed as shown at 9 at each corner, and it is also cut away intermediately and hemmed at 10 on each side of the one or more intermediate uprights 14, to be described. The fabric container, as shown, is also pro vided with a suitable outlet at 11, which may be connected in any suitable manner to a waste pipe or sprinkler, not shown. While the details of the fabriccontainer have been specifically described, it is understood that these details are subject to considerable variation and many of them are nonessential to the invention.

In the form of the invention illustrated, the side walls 30f the fabric container are supported in upright position by the knockdown 2 consisting of upright tubular members 12 at each corner and at 14 which may be intermediately placed. The uprights in the preferred form of the invention shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, are flanged at the bot tom at 15 to form a support for the uprights on to the ground of considerable relative area. The uprights may be held in position by elongated members, which maybe in the form of ground pins 16, which are driven down through the tubular uprights 12 and 1a and into the ground.

The frame also comprises a top rail 17 which, as shown, is a tubular member in sections, the sections having their ends formed in a series of closely spaced flat plates or tines 18 and 19 on the respective meeting ends. The plates 18 are three in number and the plates 19 two in number. All of the plates of the sets 18 and 19 are spaced by a. distance indicated by 20, which corresponds closely to the thickness of the cooperating plates. The number of the plates is not material, the object being to make rigid, knockdown joint.

In assembling the frame the top rail sections 17 are passed through the tubular hem 6 at the top, the end plates 18, 19, which project at the corners, are intermeshed and the plates being duly perforated with registering holes 21 the ground pins are passed downwardly therethrough, holding the cor ners of the top rail in assembled relation and holding the entire structure rigidly in assembled relation. To this end the intermeshing series of plates 18 and 19 should be accurately spaced and fitted. It will be further noted that the top rails 17 in the preferred form are not jointed intermediately at points corresponding to the intermediate uprights 14, but are perforated, as illustrated at 22, the ground pins 16 being passed through the perforations and through the tubes 12 and downwardly into the ground.

In accordance with the preferred construction illustrated, the fabric container 1 is provided with tubular pockets 24, one for each upright. These pockets extend in a vertical direction across the side walls 3, there being in the form of pool herein shown one at each corner and one intermediately of each long side of the container, it being understood that these pockets are open at the top and bottom so that the upr' its are conveniently entered therein in assembling the pool, and permitted to project at both ends.

In accordance with the preferred form illustrated, these pockets are formed by sewing a strip of duck or similar material to the side wall of the container, the strip being sewed vertically along each edge at 25 and the intermediate portion of the strip at 23 being preferably of excessive width so that it bulges out in the form of a U. The corners are similarly treated.

In this connection it will be understood that the details of the container, as well as the frame, may be widely varied within the scope of the invention, the details shown and described being the preferred form.

To assemble the pool the tubular uprights 12 are first inserted in the pockets 2a, the sections of the top rail being also inserted in the tubular hem or pocket 6 at the top. The prongs or plates 18, 19, at the corners, i. e., at the ends of the sections of top rail 17, are then intermeshed and the ground pins 16 are passed downwardly through the holes 21 in the intern'ieshing prongs or plates and through the corresponding tubular upright 12, the points 27 of the pins being driven into the ground until the plate or flange at the bottom of each upright is held flat on the ground. The intermediate uprights 1-; are likewise connected to the top rail at the sides intermediately thereof by means of pins 16 driven downwardly through the intermediate holes 22 in the top rail through the intermediate upright 14L into the ground.

Figures 6, 7 and 8 illustrate a modified con struction of he wading pool intended to be set up on a floor or pavement where the ground pins 16 cannot be used to the best advantage.

This construction is similar to that previously described except for the substitution for the pins 16 of upright bolts 31 and the addition to the structure now being described of tie members connecting the uprights at the bottom. In the form of the invention shown, these tie members include tie plates 32 underlying the ends and tie plates underlying the long sides of the pool, though i this distinction is more or less immaterial as the pool may be made of any preferred shape, the present relation of the sides not being essential.

The modified structure also includes diagonal tie members 34 and a transverse tie member 35. The members 32, 33, 3&- and are all preferably perforated at their ends, the perforations at the ends of the members 35 being indicated in Figure 8 by reference character 36. These perforations 36 register with perforations 37 at the centers of tie plates 33 and the members 33 and 35 are connected at this point by the bolts 31 which, in the form shown, are for convenience passed upwardly through the plates 36 and 37 through the tubular upright 14 and through the top rail 17, a nut 38 being preferably screwed down on the bolt to hold the parts in assembled relation.

To provide for a suitable, neat and flush joint at the intersection, the plate 33 is offset upwardly, as shown in Figure 8, where it crosses the member The manner of j oin ing at the corners the side and end tie members 32, 33 and diagonal tie member 31, which are perforated'at their meeting ends at 39, by means of the bolts 31 which also extend through the intersecting tines or plates 19 at the ends of the top rail section 17, will be easily understood and needs no further description.

In assembling the form of pool shownin Figures 6, 7 and 8, the upright members 12 and l t are inserted in the tubular pockets 24; and the top rail sections are inserted in the tubular hems 6 and the corner plates 18 and 19 are intermeshed. The tie members 32, 38, 34, 35, are placed, as indicated in Figure 6, and the bolts 31 are passed upwardly through the intersecting tie members by way of the holes 33 and 39, and 36 and 37, and through the tubular uprights 12 and 14;. They are then passed through the holes 22 in the top rail 17. The nuts 38 are then screwed onto the ends of the bolts, completing the assemblage of the pool, which is then ready for filling.

Important features of the invention are that while the pool structure or container is of the knock-down type and can be quickly assembled and as quickly knocked down and stowed, it may be so rigidly constructed without excessive expense that it stands upright and maintains uniformly its original outline without the use of stays and, therefore, occupies the minimum of space for a pool of any particular size. Further, the inconvenience and danger incident to rope and similar stays is eliminated. The use of the intermeshing plates at the corners with the tubular uprights through which the ground pins or the bolts are passed, the manner of supporting the uprights by means of flanges or plates 15 and the manner of staying the pool, particularly when used on a floor or pavement, are important advantages.

In Figure l, in addition to the essential structure of the type of pool described as particularly adapted for use on a lawn or similar area, I have indicated the tie plates 32, 33, 84 and 35 which may, if desired, be used with this type of structure, assembled and connected substantially as described in connection with the structure Figures 6 and 7.

I have thus described specifically and in detail a wading pool embodying the features of my invention in the preferred form in order that the manner of constructing, applying and using the same may be clearly understood, however, the specific terms herein are used descriptively rather than in a limiting sense, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A. portable knock-down pool comprising a flexible waterproof container and a knockdown frame consisting of upright tubular members, each having a rigid lateral supporting member at the bottom, top rail sections meeting at the ends, ground pins and means engaging the ends of the sections therewith, the pins extendingdownwardly through the tubular members and into the ground, the container having means at the top to engage the top rail and means at the corners engaging the upright tubular members.

2. A portable knock-down pool comprising a flexible waterproof container and a knockdown frame consisting of upright tubular members, each having an integral supporting plate at the bottom, top rail sections having perforated ends meeting at the corners and ground pins extending downwardly through the perforations and also through the tubular members and into the ground,

the container having means at the top to enu the top rail and means at the corners engaging the upright tubular members.

A portable knock-down pool comprising a flexible waterproof container having upright tubular pockets at the corners, a frame comprising upright tubular members fitting in the corner pockets, top rail sections fitting in the tubular pockets and meeting at the corners, said sections having at their meeting ends projecting intermeshing plates with registering perforations and ground pins extending downwardly through the perforations in theintermeshing plates through the upright tubular members and having projecting ends adapted to be seated in the ground.

t. A portable knockdown pool comprising a flexible waterproof container and a knock-down frame consisting of upright tubular members, top rail sections meeting at the corners and having at their meetings ends intermeshing perforated plates, and ground pins projecting downwardly through the perforations in the intermeshing plates through the tubular members and into the ground and means for removably attaching the container to the frame.

5. A portable knock-down pool comprising a flexible waterproof container and a knock-down frame consisting of upright tubular members, top rail sections having perforated ends meeting at the corners and ground pins extending downwardly through the perforations and also through the tubular members and into the ground, the container having means at the top to engage the top rail and means at the corners engaging the upright tubular members.

6. A swimming pool having a flexible waterproof container and a knock-down supporting frame theref r comprising tubular uprights, top rail sections having registering perforations at their ends, tie plates adapted to connect the uprights at the bottom and being likewise perforated at their ends and means at the corners extending through the registering holes in the tie members and through the tubular uprights and through the registering perforations in the ends of the top rail sections, said means thus serving to connect the corners of the frame in assembled relation.

7. A swimming pool comprising a flexible waterproof container and a knock-down supporting frame therefor, comprising tubular uprights, top rail sections having registering perforations at their ends, tie plates adapted to connect the uprights at the bottom and being likewise perforated at their ends and 10 means at the corners extending through the registering holes in the tie members and through the tubular uprights and through the registering perforations in the ends of the top rail sections serving to connect the corners 15 of the frame in assembled relation, the pool also having tubular uprights intermediate of the ends, the top rails being perforated above the tubular uprights and the tie members being perforated below the tubular uprights g9 and means extending through the tubular uprights and through said perforations, serving as a connecting means intermediate the sides.

8. A swimming pool comprising a flexible Waterproof container and a knock-down supporting frame therefor, comprising tubular uprighs, top rail sections, tie members adapted to connect the uprights at the bottom and means at the corners connecting the tie memao bers, extending through the tubular uprights and connectin the ends of the top rail sections, the flexible waterproof container having tubular means at the top to receive the top rail, and means at the corners whereby :5 it is secured to the tubular uprights.

Signed by me at Baltimore, Maryland, this 8th day of June, 1928.

JAMES P. HOOPER. 

